Together, with your support, Living for Zachary raised more than $465,000 at this year’s 13th annual HeartBeats Gala: Turn the Beat Around.
With nearly 300 attendees, the event was full of our generous friends, family, sponsors, and supporters of our mission to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in youth. We are so thankful for the longevity and generosity of your support and are glad to have you on the team.
Did you miss this year’s gala? Here is what you missed (but can be a part of next year!). Each year Living for Zachary hosts a silent auction, full of prizes from diamond jewelry to ultimate sports fans packages, and premiere spirits to getaway vacations on a tropical island.
In addition to the silent auction, live raffles took place throughout the night. The Helping Hand donated Lexie Jordan 18kt white gold pear shaped diamond hoop earrings with 1.69ct white G VS diamonds that held a retail value of $6,000. Attendees had the opportunity to draw a poker chip at random and pay the number they drew to enter the raffle for the earrings. Poker chips ranged from numbers one to one hundred.
During cocktail hour, attendees could participate in a wine pull activity, where for only $35, they chose a random mini disco ball, and were awarded the corresponding wine bag that held a surprise wine inside. Guests could choose to pick two wines for $50.
We couldn’t forget about the Stock the Bar raffle this year. A Yeti cooler filled with spirits, beer, and more was raffled off to a lucky winner. The set was displayed during cocktail hour where attendees viewed their potential winnings and purchased tickets for the drawing.
This year’s Gala program was full of sweet surprises, humble reminders of gratitude, and testimonies to the work Living for Zachary does.
Board member Darian Jones kicked off the night with a reminder of why we gather each year at this special event, the mission of Living for Zachary, and a special thanks to attendees.
Mike Doocy, weeknight sports reporter for FOX4, was up next to thank our amazing sponsors for their generosity in making our gala possible, and sharing about the recent events we have seen on a global scale regarding sudden cardiac arrest. From Damar Hamlin in the NFL to Keita Bates-Diop’s brother as a teenager.
Following dinner, Karen Schrah, founder and president of Living for Zachary, spoke about the impact of Zac’s death, the importance of the organization, and how she hopes to see Living for Zachary continue to impact the community and surrounding areas in years to come.
The fun really started as we went into our live auction series. With packages including trips to Italy, Montana, Vero Beach, and more, there was no shortage of bidders throughout the night. This year’s live auction raised $53,000.
Last year, Karen introduced the Living for Zachary SuperHeart Schools Program that would create a link between services offered by Living for Zachary, and develop a safer environment for students. This year, attendees took a look inside of the program as we presented our impact video which featured St. Mark Catholic School in Plano, Texas, and how the pilot school has already seen the fruit of the program in its pilot year.
Following the video, Cathy Pantuso, development director at St. Mark, spoke about the program and the impact it has had on her school. She shared the story of an eighth-grade boy who thought it was normal to have a racing heart, but after an educational session provided by the SuperHeart Schools Program, he come to the nurse to tell her that his heart felt funny and didn’t think it was normal to feel that way. He was later diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White Syndrome. She also shared the survival story of a staff member who collapsed during a mass service and was saved through the use of CPR and an AED donated by Living for Zachary.
Each year, we are blown away at the generosity of our attendees during our empowered hearts portion of the evening. Donors choose their level of giving and can learn about the direct impact their gift has on youth and our programming.
To close the program, sudden cardiac arrest survivor Josh Rester shared with the audience the importance of live saving AEDs, quick response times, and shared his own story of have a second chance in life. After sharing that he doesn’t intend to waste his second chance, Josh turned to his girlfriend, and asked her to marry him. Congratulations to the newly engaged couple!
The evening ended in a dance party with Limelight band filling the room with incredible music.
This year’s gala was truly one to remember. We are so thankful for the hard work of our committee members, staff, volunteers, and most of all, our donors. This night would not be possible without each and every one of you.
